


30 Days

by SkyHighWriting



Category: TF2 - Fandom, Team Fortress 2
Genre: Bottom Scout, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Gay Male Character, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Scout is a angry smol, Slow Burn, Sniper is just confused and flustered, Top Sniper, emotions are difficult, hurt/angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-09-26 14:38:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9905438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyHighWriting/pseuds/SkyHighWriting
Summary: The next Watch Tower shift has Scout and Sniper stuck together for 30 days. How long will it take for the suppressed feelings they have for each other to emerge?





	1. Day 1: Settling In

Winter had finally hit the battle ground and the watch tower shifts were changing. They changed every month, two people at a time to reduce the risk of isolation induced insanity. Demo man and the Soldier were the last two to reside in the tower and were in charge of picking their replacements. With a few protests and some minor grumbling, Sniper and Scout were the ones trudging up the mountain side towards the watch tower.

“Hurry up Scout!” Sniper shouted over his shoulder. He was already at the steps leading up to the wrap-around porch while Scout was still a couple paces behind him. “I’m coming. Get off my back, you ass.” He grumbled, adjusting the straps on his shoulders. They’d been walking for several hours in order to get from the Red Base to the small watch tower located close to the train tracks. “Remind me again why we couldn’t take the train?” Scout asked, pushing past Sniper and climbing the short set of stairs to get onto the porch. “Quit your whining.” Sniper muttered. They walked around the porch to the door. There was only one that allowed access into the watch tower in order to eliminate the risk of intruders. 

Sniper took out the key from his pocket, unlocked it, and opened the door. Scout shoved past him with a grin and looked around the room. It was an open space except for a small room to his right that he assumed was the bathroom, with a bed tucked into the far left corner and a hammock in the far right. There was a window on the left wall past the foot of the bed and several crates of supplies stacked up against the right wall. The window had several notches that boards were currently lying in and Scout assumed it was the cheap version of shutters. “Nice place.” He finally said, going over to the hammock and setting his backpack down beside it.

Sniper said nothing, instead shutting the door behind him and walking over to the window. He slid out one of the boards and peeked outside. Clouds were beginning to form on the horizon, slightly grey but not yet storm clouds. He could just see the slight gleam of the train tracks that wrapped around the battleground off in the distance. While he was busy looking, Scout had sat against the wall and pulled out a sketch book from the depths of his bag. The sound of pencil scratching snapped Sniper out of his daze and he turned to face Scout.

He had his head buried in the sketch book, pencil moving furiously. Sniper walked over silently and dropped down to his knees in front of him. Scout didn’t notice until Sniper’s face was peering over the edge of the book. “Hey!” Scout shouted, jolting back. Sniper was looking at the drawing with mild curiosity. It was of him, standing by the window, with a hand on one of the boards and his hat slightly tilted to shadow his face. “Oi, my noise ain’t that big.” He said, tapping the drawing with one finger. Scout looked at him with a raised brow. “Your nose is fucking huge.” He replied with a suppressed grin. “Well you have buck teeth.” Sniper shot back and Scout immediately clapped a hand over his own mouth. “I do not!” He said through his fingers.

Sniper nodded and Scout narrowed his eyes. “Well your ears are fucking massive too.” He said, lowering his hand. “Least I’m not accident prone.” Sniper retorted. Scout glared at him. “Just, go back to the window okay?” He muttered, lowering his head and darkening some lines on his drawing. Sniper shrugged, getting up and going back to the window. This time he sat on the ledge, one knee propped up on it. Scout kept sketching, looking up periodically. “I don’t think you’re that accident prone.” Sniper said quietly. Scout simply nodded, not really paying attention. He was too focused on his drawing. “Right, okay.” Sniper rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered though he had no idea why. After a few minutes Scout looked up again.

“You can move now. I’m good.” He said before turning back to the book. Sniper got up and took his pack off his back, digging through it and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “Smoke?” He asked, holding out the pack in Scout’s direction. “Nah.” He replied, only glancing up for a brief second. “Pussy.” Sniper muttered, standing up and lighting one. Scout looked up with another annoyed glare. “I’m not. I just don’t like to smoke.” Sniper shrugged, kneeling and unpacking his bag. There were two empty boxes at the foot of the bed that he assumed were to place their stuff in. He chose the one closest to the wall and dumped the clothes and supplies he had brought into it. 

A sigh from the other side of the room made him turn. Scout had his drawing held out in front of him and was looking at it with mild annoyance. “What?” Sniper asked. Scout simply shrugged, tilting the book slightly to either side. A sudden idea flashed through Sniper’s head. He creeped forward, then snatched the book out of Scout’s hands. “Hey! Give that back!” Scout cried, jumping up and scrambling for the book. Sniper stood up, keeping the book well out of his reach, and began to flip through the pages. 

The drawings were surprisingly good. “These are great Scout.” He said, tracing one of the sketches with his finger. “Stop! Don’t look at those!” Scout was desperately trying to grab his book but Sniper held him back. Eventually, after a lot of pleading on Scout’s part, Sniper shut the book and handed it back to him. “Fuck you!” Scout snapped, storming off to where he had been sitting before with his book pressed firmly to his chest. Sniper watched him with a suppressed smile before following him. He sat down in front of him and poked his knee. “They’re really good.” He said quietly. Scout glared at him over his knees. “You didn’t have to take my book from me.” He muttered bitterly. Sniper shrugged and Scout sighed. “Look, it’s just really personal okay? Just, don’t take it.” 

Sniper nodded, adjusting his hat. “Yeah, got it.” He said, standing up and brushing off his pants. Scout watched him for a second, then opened his book to a blank page and began to draw. Sniper went back to the window and sat down on the ledge. As he looked out of the gap in the boards his mind went back to the images he had seen in Scout’s book. One drawing was on his mind and it stirred an odd feeling in his stomach. 

It was an incredibly detailed sketch of him and Scout. All they were doing was hugging but it was clear from the way it had been drawn that there was some underlying meaning. The more he thought about the drawing, the stronger the feeling grew in his gut. It made him feel warm and somehow at peace. He had a lot to think about.

It was going to be a long month.


	2. Day 5: Poker Face

Scout woke with a massive yawn, struggling to stretch in the hammock he was currently nestled in. He eased himself up and let out another yawn. “Fuck.” He muttered, rubbing at his eyes. He blinked the sleep out of them and then turned to look around the room. Sniper was perched on the window ledge, gun resting across his legs. He had removed two of the boards to get a full view out of the window. The shuffling from the other end of the room had caught his attention and he turned to look at Scout. “G’morning sleeping beauty.” He said. Scout flashed him a grin and scratched the back of his neck. “How long was I out?” He asked through another yawn.

Sniper shrugged. “It’s 9:00am.” Scout’s eyes widened and he let out a surprised chuckle. “Huh, I don’t usually sleep that late.” He admitted, carefully getting out of the hammock and stretching his legs. He cracked his neck, then his back, then his knuckles. Sniper looked at him with confusion. “Don’t sleep much?” He asked. Scout couldn’t help but laugh. “Not really no. With a lot of siblings, you always have to sleep with one eye open.” He explained. Sniper, who had never had any siblings, had no idea what Scout was talking about.  
He didn’t say anything more, instead turning back to the window. Nothing had changed, still the same snowy scenery dotted by trees and rocks. He kept watching through the window until he noticed how silent it was. It was never silent if Scout was around. He turned his head and happened to catch Scout in the middle of changing his shirt. He watched, eyes widening, as Scout pulled his shirt over the rest of his torso and let it drop to the floor. “Fuck it’s cold up here.” Scout muttered, shivering lightly as he pulled his hoodie up over his head. Sniper finally snapped out of it, turning away from the tempting sight before him and back to the window. 

The grey storm clouds that Sniper had been watching for the past several days were beginning to darken and he observed them with unease. “Snowfall’s on its way.” He muttered. Scout walked up behind him, leaning against his shoulder. Sniper stiffened as Scout peered out the window before giving a small nod. “Great.” He said, rolling his eyes. He moved off Sniper’s shoulder and went to sit on one of the many crates stacked against the right wall. He stared up at the ceiling, counted at least twelve minor cracks in the wooden rafters, then let out a sigh. “So, what’re we even supposed to do up here?” He asked.

Sniper raised a brow, tilting back his hat so he could better see Scout. “Watch for Team BLU.” He said dully. Scout deadpanned, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, but what about other stuff? Like entertainment and all that?” Sniper gave him a confused look. “We sit here.” He said, clearly confused. Scout groaned, sliding off the crate and onto the floor. “Dude, that’s so lame. Can we at least play cards or something?” Sniper thought for a second, then shrugged. He propped his rifle up against the wall and got off the ledge. “Sure, why not.” He mumbled, walking over to Scout and sitting down across from him.

Scout’s face immediately burst into a smile and he quickly got up and dragged his backpack back to where they were sitting. He sat down, crossed his legs, then began to dig through his bag. After a couple of minutes, he pulled out a pack of cards that looked extremely worn. The package was ripped and the letters on the front were extremely faded. Scout pulled the cards out and dropped the package back into his bag, then shuffled up the cards. “Do you know Crazy Eights?” Scout asked as he shuffled. “I only know Poker.” Sniper said with a shrug. Scout gave him a grin, then began to deal. “Poker it is then.” 

Sniper picked up his hand and looked over the cards. “Why are the numbers blurry?” He asked quietly. Scout glanced down at his hand, then let out a laugh. “Oh, I dropped these cards into the lake when my brother Johnny pushed me. I had them in my pocket when he did.” Sniper raised a brow and took off his glasses. “Why’d he push you in?” Scout shrugged, picking at the edge of one of the cards in his hand. “It’s just what siblings do.” He said simply. Sniper gave a hum, then went back to examining his hand. “Do you have siblings?” Scout asked, peering over his cards. Sniper shook his head. “Well, they’re a pain in the ass.” He said with a grin. 

Sniper shrugged again and they set into playing poker. Sniper completely kicked his ass and, when he won for the twentieth time, Scout threw his cards down in frustration. “You’re a cheating asshole!” He cried. Sniper gave him a crooked grin. “I’m just lucky.” He said, trying and failing to suppress his cheekiness. “Fucking bullshit.” Scout grumbled, getting up. Sniper watched him with amusement. “The hell you going?” He asked and Scout flipped him off. He cracked open a supply crate and pulled out a beer. “Oi! You’re too young for that!” Sniper said, moving to get up. Scout glared at him and popped off the cap with his teeth. “I’m twenty fucking seven you asshole.” He snapped, taking a deep swig from the bottle. The liquor was warm and it settled in his stomach comfortably. 

Sniper’s eyes widened and he stared at Scout, frozen halfway up from the floor. “What.” Was the only word he could force out of his throat. “I’m twenty fucking seven.” Scout repeated, taking another swig. Sniper had to give that a second to register. He sat back down onto the floor, letting the words wash over his mind. He had been sure that Scout was closer to twenty rather than thirty. Scout ignored his obvious shock and took another sip from his beer. He went over to his hammock and sat down when Sniper spoke up. “We still playing?” 

Scout shook his head. “Nah, I got to wait for my luck to recharge.” He lied. Really, he was just tired of looking like an idiot at poker. Sniper got up and went back to the window ledge. “See any BLU’s?” Scout asked, letting the hammock swing slightly. Sniper shook his head, picking up his rifle from where it was propped against the wall and resting it on his legs. “Nah, it’s too cold for them.” 

Scout took another sip of his beer, then set it down on the floor. Silence settled over them and it made him uncomfortable. He hated silence. “Why do you sit there?” He blurted out. Sniper raised a brow, then nodded towards the gap in the window boards. “I’m keeping watch.” He said bluntly. Scout pointed towards the door. “There’s a door to the porch right there. It’d be way better to keep watch.” Sniper didn’t reply, instead turning back to the window. Scout sighed. He got up carefully, picked up his beer and his bat, and then moved towards the door. Sniper heard the lock click and turned to face him. “Scout- .“ “Have fun on your ledge.” Scout said, flashing him a grin before slipping outside.   
“Wanker.” Sniper muttered. Hours ticked by and Scout still didn’t come back inside. Sniper watched as the sun began to set on the horizon and the sky was stained with a red darker then blood and orange as soft as sheep’s wool. Eventually he got up, set down his rifle, then went outside to check on Scout. The wind whipped inside and a slight dusting of snow swept across the floor. Sniper quickly shut the door behind him and looked around. Scout was to his right, leaning against the porch railing, beer still in hand. Sniper watched him, observing with fascination how the shadows sharpened the lines of the Bostonian’s face and accented his posture. 

“Dude. Stop staring at me and come over here.” Scout said, yanking Sniper out of his daze. He could feel heat creeping up his face and was thankful for the diminishing light. “Mate you’ve been out here for hours. Come back inside yeah?” He watched as Scout shook his head. “Nah man, I’m good out here.” Sniper sighed, leaning against the exterior wall. “Scout.” “Sniper, man, I’m fine okay? I like being out here.” Scout said, slightly annoyed at the Aussie’s attempts to bring him back inside. He knew it was because it was freezing out and he kind of liked the fact that Sniper cared enough to try to get him to come back to where it was warm. 

Sniper got up from the wall and leaned against the railing next to Scout. “Why?” He asked. Scout shrugged, letting the beer bottle drop from his fingers and into the snowy ground. “It reminds me of home. Reminds me of my ma and my brothers. I don’t know, it’s stupid.” He muttered, feeling incredibly embarrassed without fully understanding why. “Ain’t stupid.” Sniper said gently and Scout gave him a large grin. In that moment time seemed to slow. The wind seemed to quiet and the remaining light that was left seemed to hit Scout perfectly. In that moment, Scout looked beautiful. The thought shook Sniper to the core and he shook his head.

The expression on his face must have given him away because Scout straightened up. “You okay?” Scout asked, clearly concerned. “Yeah, fine. I’m going inside.” Sniper mumbled, standing up and nearly stumbling over his own two feet in his haste to get inside. He let the door slam behind him and began to pace. “Bugger, bugger, bugger.” He grumbled under his breathe. He let his hands run through his hair, knocking his hat off his head, before going to sit down on the bed. The minutes ticked by incredibly slow and Sniper was about to get up and drag Scout inside before he froze to death when the Bostonian came trudging inside.

“Had enough?” Sniper asked and Scout smirked. “Never.” He replied, going over to the supply crate he’d opened earlier and pulling out another beer. “Pass me one yeah?” Sniper asked and Scout tossed him a bottle. He went to sit on the hammock and kicked off his shoes. “So, do you like the cold?” Scout asked, gently swinging the hammock. Sniper shrugged, shuffling back onto the bed to rest against the headboard. “It’s different.” He admitted. He wasn’t used to the cold at all but luckily had the ability to be able to build up a tolerance rather fast. 

They sat in silence for a while, drinking from their bottles. Scout kept the hammock swinging and the slight creaking of the fabric against the metal hooks was the only noise in the room. Scout drained his bottle and stood up, picking up his bat and going over to the window ledge. “I’ll take the first watch okay?” He said. Sniper shrugged, taking off his shoes and settling under the blankets. “Fine by me. G’night mate.” He mumbled. “Night Snipes.” Scout said quietly. Sniper rolled over to face the wall and let sleep over take him. It didn’t come easily but when it finally did, it was dreamless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 2! So, as you've probably guessed, this story wont be a chapter per day. We'll be jumping several days in order to speed up the story. Thank you so much for reading and, as always, pointers are welcome!


	3. Day Seven: A Dream

The night was silent as Sniper stood watch. He had the window boards adjusted so a sizable gap was made to see outside. A light dusting of snow had settled over the rocky mountain landscape and the train tracks gleamed like silver snakes in the moonlight. The sky was clear and the stars were burning bright in the desert sky. If it wasn’t for the cold he would be out there underneath them instead of trapped inside this shack. 

A small noise snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned his head, fixing his gaze on the slightly swinging hammock just outlined in the darkness. Scout was muttering something in his sleep. Sniper was about to get up to check on him when the muttering stopped and the boy turned over, or at least the best he could in the mesh of rope.   
Sniper watched him for minute before turning his attention elsewhere. He decided he would disassemble and clean his gun to waste time, even though he’d already done it once this shift. He was about to get up from his perch on the window ledge when Scout let out a louder noise, followed by a series of incoherent mumbles. 

Now his curiosity was peeked. Sniper stood up and slowly crept over to the hammock. Scout was fast asleep, though his lips were moving to form silent words. Sniper smirked at that. Even in sleep Scout was still talking someone’s ear off. Suddenly Scout jerked, his neck snapping back and a small dazed smile spreading across his face. “Mm…yeah...” He muttered. This time Sniper was close enough to hear what was being said, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to. He cleared his throat. “Scout?” He whispered. He was contemplating whether to shake him when Scout said something else.

“Please…” Sniper’s eyes widened and he took a cautionary step back. He had a feeling he knew exactly what kind of dream the runner was having. Another smile spread across Scout’s face. “Scout?” Sniper whispered a bit louder this time. His response was a moan. An honest to fuck moan. Sniper let out a groan and covered his face with one hand. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me mate.” He muttered. As though his words had been heard, Scout seemed to fall back into a deeper sleep. He rolled over as best he could, then fell silent. 

Sniper stared at him in shock for a few seconds, then stumbled back to the window ledge. He could feel the heat in his face and the uncomfortable pressure building in his pants confirmed his fears. He cast a glance back at Scout, saw he was still sleeping, then put his head in his hands. “Get a hold of yourself Mundy.” He scolded himself quietly. He ran his hands through his hair, knocking off his hat in the process. He picked it up, dusted it off, then tried to get into a casual position on the window sill; as if he hadn’t heard a sleeping man during an erotic dream. 

He had just gotten his heart rate to slow when he heard shuffling from the hammock. Scout sat up and rubbed at his eyes, the hammock wobbling due to the sudden weight shift. Sniper cleared his throat, praying his voice would sound somewhat normal. “Hey kid.” He said and was relieved to find his prayers answered. Scout stuck up the finger and yawned. “I’m not a kid.” He mumbled sleepily. “Sleep good?” Sniper asked, still trying to keep his voice as casual as possible. It was harder than it seemed. 

Scout laughed. “Yeah, you could say that.” A large grin spread across his face as he stretched his arms above his head. He slid out of the hammock with sleepy grace and stretched his back with several loud cracks. “You were talking in your sleep.” Sniper said, keeping his eyes locked on the gap in the window boards. He was determined to keep the flush of red from rising in his face. Scout didn’t say anything for a minute, but when he did he had the tone of a guilty man. “O-oh? What did I say?” He said with a nervous laugh. Sniper shrugged. “Nothing intelligible.” He said in a tone he hoped was believable. Scout let out a loud sigh. “Thank fu-… I mean, okay.” He laughed again, this time relieved. Sniper didn’t reply, instead forcing himself to keep his eyes locked on the world outside. 

Scout rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it’s my shift so…” “Yeah, yeah.” Sniper stood up, brushed off his pants, and made his way to the small single bed. He collapsed fully dressed onto the mattress. Scout snickered, picking up his bat and giving it a few test swings. He let it bang against the wooden floor before taking Sniper’s spot on the window sill. “Night.” He called. “Night.” Sniper said, his voice muffled by the pillow. He fell asleep a few minutes after, Scout’s moan still in the back of his mind. 

Scout looked over at the shadowy lump that was Sniper and let out another relieved sigh. “Fuck, way too close.” He mumbled under his breath. “Way too fucking close.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry for the long wait! I've been incredibly busy with school and personal issues that I've hardly been able to write. But I'm back now and regular updates will continue! Hope you enjoyed this interesting but short chapter.


	4. Day 12: Bacon and Cards

Scout was outside, enjoying the chilly air and watching the storm brewing on the horizon. A sudden gust of wind made him shiver violently and he quickly turned to go back inside. Opening the door, he saw Sniper kneeling by the small camping stove. Scout shut the door with some difficulty due to the know vicious winds. “Storm’s on its way.” He said over his shoulder as he struggled with the door. Sniper muttered something in reply but Scout was too far to hear.

He walked closer and sat down by the small stove, holding out his hands to warm them. “Do you think the boards will hold?” He asked, casting a wary glance at the old wooden slats that covered the windows. “They’ll hold.” Sniper replied with a nod. Scout leaned forward to look into the tiny pan Sniper had cooking placed over the stove. “Watcha cooking?” Sniper glanced at him over his aviators. “Bacon.” He muttered, flipping one of the pieces with a fork. He shut off the stove and picked up one of the pieces with the fork.   
“Can I?” Scout asked, a hand hovering over the pan. Sniper nodded and Scout grabbed for a piece. “Ow fuck!” He yelled, yanking his hand back and cradling it to his chest. “Good job.” Sniper said with a hint of amusement. Scout was cursing up a storm, his hand pressed to his chest as the skin screamed with pain. Sniper sighed, getting up and walking to check the crates for a med-kit. “How did you manage that?” He asked as he searched through the wooden boxes. “Fucking hit my palm off the fucking edge of the pan.” Scout hissed between curses. 

Sniper smirked, picking up a white case with a red cross and bringing it back to Scout. He sat down in front of him and held out his hands. “Let me see it.” Scout cautiously extended one hand and Sniper gently took it in his own. He removed the burnt wrappings and tossed them aside. The bottom of the palm was an angry red, the skin still incredibly hot to the touch. Scout hissed when Sniper gently prodded the skin and Sniper gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “It ain’t too bad. Here, hold on a sec.” He let go of Scout’s hand and went outside. 

By now the storm had arrived and the snow was falling in a thick white curtain. Sniper scooped up a handful from where it had collected on the stairs and tucked back inside. Scout was glaring at the stove and muttering angry curses. Sniper suppressed a laugh and quickly made his way back to Scout. He took the boy’s hand in his own and pressed the rapidly melting snow to it. “That’ll help some.” Sniper said. He held it till it melted and then opened the med-kit.

Inside was an array of medical supplies and for some reason several white feathers. Sniper pulled out a small bottle anti-inflammatory cream and smeared a small amount on the burn. “Ow!” “Quit your whining.” Sniper muttered. Scout glared at him. “Fuck you.” Sniper gave him a grin and began to carefully wrap the wrist. “Thanks Snipes.” Scout mumbled, giving Sniper a sheepish smile. “Don’t mention it mate.” 

When he had finished the wrapping, he leaned over and picked up a piece of bacon with a fork. “Here.” He held it out to Scout, who snatched it and shoved it into his mouth. Sniper smiled slightly and Scout gave him a look. “What?” He asked through a mouthful of bacon. Sniper rolled his eyes, the smile still present. “Nothing. Close your mouth.”  
Scout gave him a wide smile, purposely showing off the multitude of bacon bits stuck in his teeth and still being chewed. “That’s nasty mate.” Sniper said with a chuckle. Scout chewed, swallowed, then ran his tongue along his teeth. “I try.” He said. 

Sniper got up to look out the window. The snow was coming down even harder and he couldn’t even see the railing of the porch less than ten feet from the window. “Ever been snowed in?” He asked over his shoulder. Scout laughed. “Are you kidding?! Almost every winter! My brothers and I used to drive my ma crazy.” He smiled fondly, letting the nostalgia wash over him. Thinking about his family was hard sometimes, especially when he hadn’t been given leave for a while, but this time it was alright. “What about your dad?” Sniper asked as he stared out at the snow. It was when he was given silence as an answer that he realized what he had said.

“Oh, bugger, mate I’m sorry.” He said, turning around to face him. Scout simply shrugged. “Nah, it’s okay. He left when I was four. I don’t really remember him at all.” He tucked his knees up underneath his chin and sighed. Sniper leaned against the wall. “Well, he missed out.” Scout looked up at him, confusion etched across his face. “What do you mean?” He asked. Sniper shrugged, looking anywhere but at him. “He gave up the chance to know you. It’s his loss.” He mumbled. Scout raised a brow. “Did you just say something nice to me?” He asked, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.

Sniper glared at him though it wasn’t as cold as he tried to make it. “Don’t get used to it mate.” Scout jumped up, the excitement on his face clearly showing that he had tuned out what Sniper had said. “You said something nice!” He laughed. “Fuck off.” Sniper muttered, tilting his hat down to try and hide his grin. Scout walked over and lightly punched his arm. “I knew you were a softie.” He teased. Sniper lifted his head and scowled. “Fuck off.” He repeated but without any trace of venom. Scout laughed again, the sound warm and comforting in the chilly wooden shack. 

“Oh relax, I’m just teasing.” He said, the shit-eating grin still on his face. Sniper gave him a small smile. “I know. Can you teach me crazy eights?” At this, though it seemed impossible, Scout’s smile brightened. “You bet your sweet ass I can!” He shouted, sitting down on the floor and pulling his cards out of his pocket. He always had them with him, no matter where he went. Sniper grinned as he sat down across from Scout. “Think my ass is sweet eh?” Scout’s face immediately flushed a bright red. “I…shut up.”

The rest of the day flew by as they played round after round of the card game. It was well into the night before either of them began to grow tired. 

Scout had gone from sitting cross legged, to perching on a crate, to where he was currently positioned on his stomach. Sniper had simply drifted backward until he was leaning against the wall. Scout looked down at his hand, then smiled. “Last card.” He said proudly. Sniper put down a four of hearts, to which Scout responded with a four of spades. “Suck it!” He said cheekily. Sniper cursed and threw his cards onto the floor. Scout simply replied by shoving the deck towards him. “Your deal.” He said. 

Sniper picked up the cards and began to shuffle. “You’re too good at this game mate. It ain’t fair.” He said quietly, distracted by the cards. Scout rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes. “Luck o’the Americans.” He mumbled. Sniper raised a brow, stopping the shuffling. “I ain’t sure that’s right.” Scout gave no response. “Kid?” Sniper leaned forward, gently lifting Scout’s hood. His eyes were closed and his breathing had steadied. He’d fallen asleep. “Oh you wanker.” Sniper muttered. He set down the cards and stood up with a groan, his knees popping as he did. 

Being tall had its pros and cons it would seem. He stretched, then knelt to carefully pick up Scout. He was surprised when Scout wrapped his arms around Sniper’s neck but thought nothing of it. He lifted him up and carried him over to the hammock. “You’re bloody heavy.” Sniper muttered as he tried to set Scout into the hammock. This proved harder than it would seem but he eventually was able to move the webbing around to cradle the sleeping boy. However, when he went to move away, he realized Scout hadn’t let go of the grip around his neck. “C’mon, let me go you git.” Sniper said with a sigh. With some gentle prodding, eventually Scout’s grip loosened and he could stand up straight.

Sniper made some final adjustments to the hammock before settling a blanket over Scout and tucking it in as best he could. He was about to turn away when he heard a voice. “Snipes?” He turned around to see Scout, one eye open, giving him a sleepy smile. Sniper put a hand on his forehead. “Sh, sleep mate.” He soothed, rubbing his thumb across Scout’s forehead. Scout closed his eyes. “Thanks.” He mumbled before drifting back to sleep. Sniper smiled softly before turning away to seal up the shack.

He closed the window boards, figuring it was useless to stand guard when he couldn’t even see past the porch railing, then went to make sure the door was locked. After that he doused the lamps that they had lit once it had started to get dark and climbed into bed. It took a while for him to finally drift off, his head filled with images of Scout’s smile, and the sound of his laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for the bit of delay. I've been incredibly busy with school and work and need to devote more time to actually typing out this story. So again, sorry. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to an interesting bit of drama in the next one! Thank you!


	5. Night Terrors

The night was peaceful and, yet again, Sniper was keeping watch. He didn’t sleep much and generally took on the night watch until early morning. He was perched on the window ledge, long legs bent so he could rest a book on them. He was reading by flashlight, keeping his elbow on a gap in the window boards to keep the light balanced. It was some old book he had found in the RED base’s basement, something about sea monsters and the guy who gets forced to go kill them. He felt sympathy for the poor guy, considering he’d literally been yanked out of his nice life to go kill sea monsters he was clearly unqualified to kill. 

Meanwhile, Scout had begun to twist in his hammock. Sniper didn’t notice, too engrossed in his book to hear the gentle creaking of the ropes. It was only when Scout let out a stream of loud mumbles did Sniper notice the noise. “Scout?” He asked without looking up. Silence was his answer. Sniper shrugged and was about to return to his reading when a strangled cry made him jerk up. 

Scout was thrashing in the hammock, screaming loudly, until he fell to the floor with a loud thud. His legs were still stuck in the twisted mess of the rope and he kept thrashing. Sniper jumped up, his book falling to the floor, and rushed over to help. Scout had stopped screaming, instead twisting and turning to try to free his legs. Sniper bent over and tried to untangle him, but it was nearly impossible with Scout’s thrashing. “Scout! Mate, relax!” He cried. 

He pulled at the webbing and eventually freed his legs. Now free, Scout let out a kick and accidentally hit Sniper in the stomach. Sniper doubled over, letting out a groan. Scout had stop thrashing and instead sat up, his eyes wide open. Once the pain had faded, Sniper knelt in front of Scout. “Mate, you okay?” He asked quietly. Scout seemed to be fully awake and tucked his knees up to his chest. “Ha, yeah I’m fine. Ain’t I always?” He replied with a broken laugh. 

Sniper frowned. “No one’s always okay mate.” Scout kept his gaze on the floor, a small pained smile on his face. “Not me. I’m always fine, always!” He said with forced cheeriness. Sniper sighed, not really knowing what to do. In response Scout simply pulled his knees closer to his chest and put his head down on them. Sniper shuffled closer so he was beside him and awkwardly wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “It’s okay Scout.” “I know.” Scout’s response was muffled by his knees. 

Sniper tightened his arm around him. “Do you get nightmares often?” He asked and Scout nodded. “Are they always this bad?” Again, Scout nodded. Sniper rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, feeling more awkward than before. He often had nightmares as well, but never to the point where he flipped his shit in his sleep. “Do you want to talk about it?” He suggested quietly. Scout shook his head. It was unnerving to have the usually loud and always energetic Bostonian reduced to a quiet shadow in the dark.   
Sniper sighed and gently patted Scout’s shoulder. “Well, there there.” He mumbled. He was running out of things to say and he knew his attempts at comfort were shitty. Scout chuckled quietly and titled his head so he could give Sniper a small smile. “Thanks Snipes.” 

They fell into an oddly comfortable silence. Scout eventually leaned into Sniper’s embrace and Sniper finally was beginning to get comfortable with the contact. Unsurprisingly, it was Scout who broke the silence. He let out a massive yawn and Sniper smiled slightly. “You can use the bed eh? Don’t want you falling onto the floor again.” Scout sat up straight, stretching out his legs and giving Sniper a confused look. “But-.” “Just use it.” Sniper said, cutting Scout of.

He stood up before Scout could argue and went to go peek out the window. The storm, which had been raging for several days now, was still going strong. He had no idea how this was possible but apparently, it was. Scout got up slowly and limped over to the bed. Sniper noticed his odd gait and raised an eyebrow. “Are you alright?” He asked, going over to help him into the bed. Scout brushed him off, sitting down on the edge and lifting the covers. “I’m fine, just banged my hip. Nothing I can’t handle.” He replied with a grin.   
Sniper tried to ruffle his hair but was batted away by Scout, who scowled at him. He managed to tuck Scout in before he could start complaining and walked away before Scout could go on. When the loud babbling eventually trailed into silence he looked over to see that Scout had finally fallen back to sleep. He waited a few minutes, then stood up and went to his bedside.

He brushed Scout’s hair out of his eyes and certainly noticed the slight twitch of Scout’s mouth. He was clearly fake sleeping but Sniper chose to ignore that. Instead he bent over and pressed a kiss to Scout’s forehead. Scout had to fight to keep a somewhat sleeping composure. Sniper broke away, ruffled Scout’s hair lightly, then went to go dig through a crate to find something to eat. Scout rolled over, a massive smile finally spreading across his face. He touched his forehead lightly and sighed, falling into dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fear I sound like a broken record, apologizing all the time for the delay on chapters. I hope you all enjoyed!


	6. Day 17: Cabin Fever

The storm had officially rolled in. In all of Scout’s years of living in Boston, none of the storms measured up to this one. It had been going on for days now and the wind had been so vicious they weren’t able to stay outside for very long. Unfortunately, being stuck inside was getting on Sniper’s nerves, which made him far less patient than usual. 

The man in question was currently adjusting the slats on the window to peek out. However, the second he made a gap big enough to see outside the snow began to blow in. “Bloody fuck.” Sniper hissed, slamming the boards back together. He wiped the snow off his face and turned to face Scout, who was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. “The storm’s far from letting up.” Sniper said with a bit of a shiver. He wasn’t used to the intense cold yet. Scout shrugged. He was bouncing a ball he’d brought in his bag and hadn’t stopped for the past three days. It was beginning to get on Sniper’s nerves.

“It ain’t too bad.” Scout said simply, bouncing the ball off one of the crates and catching it on its return. Sniper couldn’t think of anything else to say, so instead of awkward conversation, he chose to clean his knife. It hadn’t been used since they got here but that was beside the point. He sat down on one of the crates, unsheathed his knife, and took out a cleaning rag from one of his vest pockets. There was a tiny bottle of fluid in there too, which he used to moisten the rag and began to drag it along the blade.

Scout continued to bounce the ball in the background, the irregular thuds and thwacks of the ball causing Sniper to lose focus. He was about to snap when the noises stopped. With a sigh, he was about to go back to his work when Scout began to throw the ball again, this time accompanied by humming. “Shut up!” Sniper cried, nearly throwing down his knife in frustration. Scout glared at him, stopping mid-throw. “Jeez, what’s got your shorts in a bind?” He said with a scowl. Sniper matched his glare as he stood, the knife returning half-polished to its sheath. 

“That fucking ball is driving me crazy!” He snapped, pointing to the small red ball Scout currently had trapped in one hand. “Well sorry for entertaining myself.” Scout said, his voice full of sarcasm that made Sniper grind his teeth. He was not in the mood to deal with Scout’s attitude. He took a deep breath, then sat back down. “Just, please stop for two bloody seconds.” Scout gave him a look but nodded. “Fine.” He muttered, tucking the ball into his pocket and crossing his arms.

Sniper gave him a thankful look before pulling out his knife and returning to his work. Scout watched him for a bit but quickly grew bored. He pulled out a pack of cards from his other pocket and began to shuffle them. Sniper was just tuning out when the noise of the cards flicking brought him out of his work. As Scout continued he felt his annoyance rise, raising the hairs on the back of his neck and causing him to grit his teeth tight enough to hurt his gums. He was trying to tune back out when Scout lost his grip on the cards, causing them to spray all over the floor. Sniper snapped.

“For fucks sake!” He yelled, throwing his knife onto the floor. It hit the wood with a clatter and the noise made Scout jolt. “What?” He asked, clearly annoyed. “You’re so annoying! Honestly can you not just stop for two fucking seconds?!” Sniper yelled, standing up and pointing at the cards. “The cards, the ball, just sit down and shut up!” Scout stood up and jabbed a finger in his direction. “Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?!” He demanded. Sniper groaned, covering his face with his hands. “It’s like babysitting a three-year-old.” He muttered bitterly. 

Scout’s eyes widened and he clenched his fists. “Stop treating me like a kid! I ain’t a kid okay!” He yelled, his eyes blazing with a new burst of anger. Sniper looked at him with cold amusement. “Oh really? You’re not a kid?” He said harshly. The tone stung Scout but only succeeded in making him angrier. “Yes really! I know you all laugh at me because I’m not in my thirties or some bullshit. I know none of you think I’m capable of anything! So, stop treating me like a stupid fucking kid!” He was bordering on screaming at this point and Sniper knew he should be trying to calm the situation but he couldn’t bring himself to it. 

“You act like a kid you stupid git!” Sniper yelled back, throwing his hands above his head in frustration. With a stream of curses to quick for Sniper to understand, Scout turned on his heel, grabbed his jacket from the hammock, and stormed towards the door. “Where are you going?” Sniper demanded but Scout just gave him the finger. “Go to fucking hell!” He yelled over his shoulder. He threw open the door and marched straight out into the storm, slamming the door behind him. Sniper stared in shock, staring at the door that led to the storm outside.

The sound of the slam was still ringing in his ears and normally he would have gone out after him but he was still pissed and annoyed. He turned away from the door and crossed his arms, shaking his head. Already he could feel guilt building in his stomach but he shoved it down. “Stupid prick…. He’ll be back.” 

An hour ticked by yet Scout still hadn’t come back. When Sniper’s watch beeped, letting him now it was now 5:00pm, he stood up. He could hear the wind whipping around the shack and his guilt turned to momentary worry. He grabbed for his coat, pulling it on as fast as he could. Who knows what could have happened to the kid and it would be his fault. He mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot and actually letting him go out into the storm. “Stupid bloody-.” A knock on the door cut him off from his angry mutterings. He raced for the door, flinging it open to reveal a shaking and soaked Scout. “I…. I couldn’t get down the mountain.” Scout muttered. Sniper felt his worry increase and guilt grip at his chest. “You idiot.” Sniper said with a sigh. Scout looked up at him and Sniper saw that there were tears pricking the corner of his eyes. 

“Can I c-come in?” He stuttered. Without a word, Sniper wrapped his arms around him and pulled him inside, holding the shaking boy tight against his chest. Scout threw his arms around his waist, desperate for the body warmth Sniper was giving off. “Don’t ever do that again.” Sniper muttered, reaching out to close the door with a slam. Scout’s reply was muffled by Sniper’s chest. “What?” Sniper asked quietly. Scout pulled his head back slightly. “I’m f-freezing.” Scout stammered through chattering teeth. “No bloody way. C’mon.” Sniper dragged him over to the small camp stove and sat him down. Scout didn’t resist and didn’t say a word. Sniper lit the stove, then went in search of dry clothes.

Scout watched the flames quietly, his arms wrapped tightly around his torso. The heat was still too small to warm him up but it helped slightly. Sniper dug through his own bag, pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of pants, and tossed them back at Scout. “Here, change.” He said simply. Scout didn’t say anything, just pulled off his soaked sweater, then his shirt. Sniper felt his face burn and he tried to casually avert his eyes. He failed miserably but if Scout noticed, he didn’t let on. He pulled on Sniper’s shirt, then kicked off his shoes and socks. He tossed them into a corner of the shack and Sniper used that as an excuse to tear his eyes away from Scout by going to grab them.

Meanwhile, Scout changed his pants and laid out the wet clothes on the floor by the tiny camping stove to dry. He then sat down on the floor and tucked his legs up to his chest. Sniper quietly sat next to him, sitting a respectful distance away. A horribly awkward silence settled over to two and it was enough to make even Sniper uncomfortable. He was about to say something when Scout spoke.

“I can’t even leave right.” He muttered bitterly. “What?” Sniper asked, leaning a bit closer. Scout shrugged. “I’m not even capable of leaving right. No wonder none of you think of me as an adult.” Sniper sighed, the guilt putting a crushing weight on him. “Scout, we think of you as one of us.” He said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. For the last hour, everything he’d said had been echoing through his head and it was making him feel sick. He couldn't believe he'd said something like that, to someone he cared about no less.

Scout turned to shoot him a glare. “Then why are you babysitting huh?” He said harshly, his voice sharp like a knife. Sniper sighed, biting at his lip. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve… I’ve been on edge mate. I’m not used to being inside so long.” He muttered awkwardly. Scout didn’t say anything for a while, but when he did his voice broke slightly. “Just, don’t call me a kid okay? I’m sick of being a kid.” Sniper nodded, looking at Scout with a mix of guilt and worry. “Fair enough mate.”

They fell into another silence, this time a bit less awkward, yet still uncomfortable. During the silence, Scout shut off the stove and Sniper didn’t stop him. It was getting too hot in there anyhow. After a while, Sniper turned to Scout. “Hey Scout?” The man in question turned to look up at him. “What?” He asked, this time his voice a bit steadier. Sniper cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t speak for the others but I think you’re capable of anything.” He mumbled, already feeling the embarrassment he'd have to relive later that night when his mind was screaming at him for being a moron.

Scout furrowed his brows, giving Sniper a doubtful look. “You do?” He asked, the hope clearly present in his voice. Sniper gave him a slight smile. “Yeah, I do.” He said softly. Scout gave him a grin, still a little hurt but clearly feeling better. “Thanks Snipes.” He said before leaning against him. Sniper froze, then cautiously wrapped an arm around Scout’s shoulders. “Anytime Scout.” He said quietly. Silence was about to settle over them again when Scout let out a chuckle. “Hey Snipes?” “Yeah?” Scout looked up and gave him a shy grin. “Call me Jeremy.” 

Sniper gave him the same smile, feeling his face burn red. 

“Okay Jeremy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took forever to piece together but I think it turned out okay! Hope you all enjoyed!


	7. Day 19: Night Terrors and Pancakes

Sniper stood outside, his elbows on the chipped wooden railing, wondering how in the hell there could be so much snow. The storm had finally taken a break but the dark clouds still loomed on the horizon. Call it intuition, but Sniper knew the storm wasn’t over. It would be back for one last hurrah and it would cause the Australian much misery. A strong gust of wind blew past him and he shivered. It was then he realized how far the sun had sunk towards the horizon and sighed. Night would be here soon. He wrapped his arms around himself, gave the snowy landscape one last glance over, then headed back inside. 

Scout was sitting cross-legged in front of the tiny camping stove, staring at something inside a pan. Sniper shut the door, locked it, then went to kneel beside Scout. Scout gave him a small smile before turning his attention back to the pan. “Hey.” He said, shuffling the pan’s contents around with a fork. “Watcha making?” Sniper asked. The object in the pan looked like a large, flat circle and though it smelled good, it was unfamiliar to him. Scout grinned, flipping the circle over with the fork. “Pancakes bitch.” He said happily.   
Sniper recalled the name of the food but he couldn’t recall ever having it. The silence caused Scout to look up, slightly confused look on his face. 

“Ever had ‘em?” He asked and, when Sniper shook his head, his confusion turned to shock. “What?!” He exclaimed, dramatically clapping a hand over his heart. Sniper shrugged, trying to suppress a smile. He failed. Scout rolled his eyes before turning back to the pan. “Well hold onto your hats, um, hat. My pancakes are the best.” He said proudly, flipping the pancake again, this time just with the momentum of the pan rather than the fork. 

Sniper smirked, sitting down and giving his legs a minute to rest. “We’ll see.” He teased. He had every confidence that the pancake would taste just fine, but it was funny to get Scout’s pride going. Scout flipped the pancake again, dramatically throwing his free arm up in the air. “Tada!” He cried triumphantly. Sniper rolled his eyes, a small smile creeping onto his face. 

A few minutes later the pancake was cooked to Scout’s satisfaction and he slid it onto a paper plate. He practically shoved it into Sniper’s hands and watched him expectantly. Sniper sighed, setting the plate onto the floor and tearing a piece off the pancake with his hands. He took a careful bite, then his eyes widened. “Holy shit.” He whispered, staring at the tiny circle of joy that was currently exploding his taste buds. Scout smiled smugly. “Good eh?” He asked, though he already knew the answer. Sniper gave him the brightest smile Scout had ever seen from the man. “They’re bloody brilliant!” He exclaimed, yet in his excitement he didn’t see the adoring look Scout gave him at the sight of his smile.

“Told you.” Scout said softly then, with a rather abrupt shake of the head, snapped out of his daze and went back to work making more pancakes. Sniper ate his silently and Scout made sure to cook them much faster, turning up the little stove's heat to the highest it could go. Once the batter was used up, he shut off the stove and they ate in silence, Sniper trying to savor the new flavor, Scout completely devouring them. 

Scout was the first to finish and he gathered up the cooking utensils surprisingly quietly. Sniper noticed this and watched as the Bostonian took the dishes to the bucket of water they used to clean them and dumped them in, completely silent. It was only when he noticed Sniper staring at him that he spoke. “I’ve got first watch.” He said a little awkwardly, and the blush rising on his cheeks didn’t go unnoticed. Sniper shrugged, crumpling up his paper plate and tossing it towards the empty crate they used as a makeshift garbage can. It just missed and he cursed.

He got up to properly throw it away, then began to undress for bed. Scout went over to his backpack, pulled out his sketchpad and pencils, then sat down on the window sill. He made a crack in the boards to see out of, then began to draw, occasionally peeking out the crack to check the surroundings. Sniper got into bed, immediately sliding underneath the covers. He stared at the ceiling for a while, mulling over the thoughts he’d pushed aside during the day, when his body began to realize how cold he was. He shivered, pulling the blankets closer. It did no good.

Scout grew tired of sitting and stood up, cracking his back and setting down his sketch pad. He went to go outside when he saw Sniper shivering. He smirked, then went to retrieve the blankets from the hammock. He tossed them unceremoniously over Sniper, lightly punching his arm as he did. “Pussy.” He muttered with a laugh. Sniper glared at him from under the mound of blankets. “Shut the fuck up.” He mumbled before rolling over to face the wall. Scout laughed, picked up his bat, then headed outside. 

He walked around for a while, gazed at the stars from the creaky steps that led to the shack’s only door, then headed back inside. He locked the door, set down his bat, and retreated to the window sill. He picked up his sketch pad again and began to draw. Slowly, he fell asleep that way, a pencil still clutched nimbly in his fingers and his forehead pressed to the pad’s page. 

Hours ticked by until Sniper was awoken by a piercing shriek. He sat up, scrambling to grab a weapon, when he remembered where he was. A loud thud caught his attention and he turned to see Scout on the floor, curled into a tight ball. “Scout?” He called out, rushing over to him. He knelt beside him and slowly helped him sit up. Scout was crying, still half-asleep, his hands pressed tightly over his face. “Ah fuck.” Sniper muttered, pulling the smaller man into his lap. He held him tightly and barely noticed when Scout wrapped his arms tightly around Sniper’s chest. 

Sniper rested his head on top of Scout’s and let instinct take over. “It’s okay Jeremy. You’re okay.” He soothed. “Y-yeah… I-I.” That was all Scout managed to say before he dissolved back into sobs. His grip tightened on Sniper and he pressed his face into the man’s shirt. “Breathe Jeremy.” Sniper whispered, rubbing circles into his back. Scout nodded, trying desperately to control himself. It took a few minutes but eventually he could quiet his sobs to hiccups. “I…I am.” He said, his voice shaking. He leaned back a bit but kept his forehead pressed to the man’s chest. 

Sniper still had his head resting on Scout’s and he closed his eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, not sure if he wanted to hear. Whatever it had been, he thought it would have to be horrible to cause Scout to go into hysterics. Scout shook his head. “Fuck no.” He muttered and the shaky laugh he let out hurt Sniper’s heart. 

They sat like that for a while until Scout let out a yawn. “Well c’mon.” Sniper said, swiftly lifting him up as though he weighed nothing. “Hey! The hell!” Scout cried, clinging to Sniper for fear of being dropped. Sniper carried him to the bed and gently set him down before crawling in to lay beside him. Scout backed up against the wall, feeling the splintery wood dig into his back, and stared at the Sniper with wide eyes. “Uh, hi.” He said awkwardly. “Hey. G’night.” Sniper said before rolling over. Scout stared at his back, still in shock from being thrown into a bed with the guy he had suppressed feelings for. “Night.” Scout whispered to his back.

The minutes ticked by before Scout decided this shit was enough. He was tired, sad, and desperately needed comfort. He shuffled closer to the Sniper, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his chest to his back. Sniper stiffened, not expecting Scout to have touched him. “Night.” Scout mumbled, closing his eyes and letting the comfort of another person’s presence lull him to sleep. Sniper smiled, closing his eyes and letting sleep over take him.

It was the best night sleep either of them had gotten in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a tribute to my more Canadian side (aka pancakes) and I know I've already done a nightmare chapter, but I wanted to show the progression of their relationship and the frequency of Scout's nightmares. Hope you all enjoyed!


	8. Day 23: Strip Poker

The only sound in the tiny shack was the roaring of the wind outside and the thwack of Scout’s baseball bouncing off the wall. Scout was sitting on the floor, wrapped up in one of Sniper’s sweaters, throwing the ball against the wall in boredom. His excuse for taking Sniper’s sweater had been the fact that his were too thin and didn’t keep him warm. It was a lie but both pretended that it wasn’t.

The storm was still raging outside and had only let up once during the past few days. Other than that, it was the fiercest storm Scout had ever seen, and he had seen plenty. They weren’t even able to open a small slit in the window boards to keep watch through. The snow would blow in and eliminate any chance of seeing what was outside. Odds are that there were no BLU’s crazy enough to go outside in this weather anyhow. 

Sniper was pacing the length of the shack, hands behind his back and head tilted down. Being stuck inside for so long was taking a toll on his nerves and he was itching to get outside. Unfortunately, there was no possibility of that unless he was alright with freezing, which he wasn’t. Instead he resorted to pacing to try to release the tension he felt. He was failing. It was only then he realized how quiet it was.

The absence of noise made Sniper look up. Scout had stopped bouncing the ball and was now staring at the floor. Sniper was about to ask why he'd stopped when Scout spoke up. “Pass me a beer.” Sniper grinned and stopped his pacing to go and search. It was becoming more and more clear that Demo had been up the longer they spent searching through boxes. Beer was so far in every single one they’d opened.

Sniper reached into the closet crate, pulled out a bottle, and tossed it to Scout. He caught it with one hand and flashed Sniper a grin. “Thank Christ for Demo.” Sniper grinned, taking a bottle for himself and prying the cap off with the edge of the crate. They sat in silence for a bit, taking swigs of beer and staring at anything but each other, until Scout pulled out his cards. “Want to play poker?” 

Sniper nodded, sitting down in front of him and setting his bottle down on the floor. Scout handed him the cards. “Your deal.” He said before chugging back the rest of his bottle and getting up to grab another one. He ended up grabbing several bottles and set them down between himself and Sniper. Sniper dealt rather quickly and several minutes later Scout was cursing in frustration.

“Fucking shit!” He yelled, throwing down his cards in frustration. Sniper snickered and took the final sip of his bottle. As he opened a new one an idea came to him. “Want to make this more interesting?” He asked, playing nonchalant when really, he had no idea what was possessing him to propose this. Scout stopped his cursing to shoot him finger guns. “Shoot.” 

The words were out of Sniper’s mouth before he could stop them. “Strip poker.” He muttered, popping the cap off the bottle and taking a deep swig. Scout fell silent, clearly thinking it over, then gave him a daring grin. “Okay.” He agreed. He took another drink from his bottle before taking the cards and shuffling. He dealt and lost again. “Fuck!” He cursed before untying the laces of one sneaker and tossing the shoe into a corner. Sniper clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Nah, more than that.” Scout glared at him. “Dude, with my luck-.” “Okay fair enough.” Sniper said, raising a hand in defeat. 

Scout passed him the cards, then finished off his second bottle and moved onto his third. Sniper dealt and Scout lost for a third time. Quietly he took of his second shoe and tossed it towards the first. Sniper noticed the redness in Scout’s face but didn’t say anything. His face probably looked the same. Scout dealt this time and Sniper lost, much to his dismay. “Ha!” Scout cried in triumph, throwing his hands up into the air. 

Sniper rolled his eyes and slowly removed his hat and glasses. He set them on the floor and looked back up to find Scout gaping at him. “What are you looking at?” Sniper asked defensively. He didn’t like taking off his aviators, even inside, due to the coloration of his eyes. They were a piercing blue and rather sensitive to light. Scout blinked and smiled slightly. “Your eyes. I’m not used to seeing them.” He admitted, his face growing redder as he spoke. 

Sniper ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. He didn’t know how to reply to that. Instead he just handed the cards to Scout and proceeded to look anywhere else but at the man in front of him. They play and Scout lose. With a sigh, he removed both of his socks and tossed them somewhere behind him. Sniper leaned forward to grab the cards and noticed a large white scar that stretched across the top of Scout’s foot. “What’s that mark from?” He asked, poking the sole of his foot.

Scout giggled, reflexively pulling his feet closer to him. “What my scar? Oh, when I was 8 one of my brothers accidentally dropped something on it and it sliced my foot open.” He explained as he opened another beer. Sniper raised a brow as he shuffled the cards. “What the hell did he drop?” He asked in mild horror. Scout shrugged. “I don’t remember to be honest.” He said with a chuckle. Sniper dealt again, moving onto his next beer as well, and watched in amusement as Scout lost his shit at losing a fifth time. 

“Fucking shit! This is such bullshit!” He complained. “You suck at poker.” Sniper said as Scout removed the sweater he stole from Sniper. Scout flipped him the bird then snatched the cards out of Sniper’s hands. Sniper watched as Scout took another sip of his beer and proceeded to nearly drop the cards everywhere. “You may want to lay off the booze.” He said quietly but the look Scout gave him made him laugh. “Are you my ma? No. Now shut up and lemme deal.” He said, practically throwing Sniper’s card hand at him. 

This time it was Sniper’s turn to lose. “Fucking finally!” Scout laughed. Sniper shrugged off his jacket and the next game’s results found him taking off his shoes as well. “You have holes in your socks.” Scout pointed out and Sniper looked down. He hadn’t even noticed them. He wiggled his toes and Scout covered his mouth to suppress a giggle. 

The next three games forced Scout to remove his t-shirt, his long-sleeved shirt, and finally his undershirt. He was now completely shirtless and attempting to open another beer. He was failing. Sniper was sure his face currently resembled the red of his shirt and was trying to force himself to stare at his cards rather than the half-naked man before him. He was failing miserably. The next two games found Sniper completely shirtless. He would usually be uncomfortable but the alcohol in his system had calmed his nerves to the point where he found he didn’t care. 

Scout lost the next game and simply removed his dog tags. Sniper smirked. “Pansy.” He teased. Scout threw his tags at Sniper in annoyance. “Shut it.” He said as he shuffled. Sniper lost that game and took of his hole covered socks. He looked up to see Scout staring at him, a small grin on his flushed face. Sniper swallowed hard and straightened his back, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Watcha looking at?” Scout asked and the devilish smirk he gave Sniper nearly made him groan. 

Scout was moving onto another beer and Sniper sighed. “Okay no more beer for you.” He said, leaning forward and snatching the bottle away from him. “Hey!” Scout whined, reaching for the bottle. He lunged forward and accidentally knocked Sniper onto his back. The bottle rolled off somewhere in the shack but Scout’s focused turned now to the man whose chest he was lying on. “Hi.” He said with a grin. Sniper rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the heat in his face. “You need sleep.” He muttered. “Nah.” Sniper gently pushed him off him and sat up, rubbing his incredibly warm face with one hand. “Hey!” Scout groaned, dramatically flopping onto the floor, limbs splayed. Sniper stood up, nearly fell back onto his ass, then caught his balance.

The room was spinning and he closed his eyes. When he opened them, Scout was standing in front of him, arms open and pulling him into a hug. He smiled, wrapping his lanky arms around Scout and pressing his face into the runner’s hair. A few silent moments passed before the situation they were in finally sank into Sniper’s alcohol tainted brain. “Jeremy?” The man in question let out a laugh. “You’re warm.” He mumbled into Sniper’s chest. Sniper rolled his eyes but smile anyhow. “You’re drunk. Come on, to bed with you.” He said, trying to pull Scout towards the hammock.

Scout planted his feet and looked stubbornly up at Sniper. “Carry me.” He demanded. Sniper groaned. “Fucking…fine.” He gave in, lifting Scout into his arms and carrying him to the hammock. He helped Scout in and was about to leave when he felt a hand on his arm. “Hey Snipes?” He mumbled, eyes half-lidded and exhaustion clearly creeping in with help from the alcohol. Sniper raised a brow in question and Scout smiled. He took Sniper’s hand in his own and pressed his lips to his knuckles. “Thanks.” He mumbled before rolling over. 

Sniper froze, staring at Scout’s back for several moments before turning and heading to his bed. He shut off the lamps in the shack and climbed into bed. He pressed the hand Scout had kissed to his chest and sighed. He was tired and confused and didn’t fully understand the extent of what he was feeling. It was something he’d only ever felt once back home but had suppressed to the point where he wasn’t even sure it had existed. He closed his eyes, content with letting his thoughts fade into black for the night. 

An hour or so later he was awoken by the blankets shifting. “What?” He mumbled sleepily, opening one eye and rolling onto his back. Scout was climbing into his bed and Sniper found he was too tired to care. Scout cuddled into his side, head on his shoulder and an arm thrown across his chest. Sniper smiled sleepily, wrapping an arm around Scout and resting his hand on his hip. “G’night Snipes.” Scout mumbled against his chest. Sniper smiled, then pressed a light kiss to the top of Jeremy’s head. Worst comes to worst he could blame the booze.

“Night Jeremy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took forever to work out, specifically the constant dealer switches. Apologies if I got the schematics of poker wrong I haven't played in a while. Hope you all enjoyed!


	9. Day 27: Finally

Things had changed.

The morning after the strip poker game, Sniper had woken up to find Scout sitting on the window ledge, the top slat off to let in the cool morning air. The snow had slowed outside but still showed no signs of stopping. They didn’t talk about the night before but somehow something seemed more at ease between them, as though a barrier had been broken down.

The night after the strip poker game Scout had his worst nightmare yet. He ended up scratching Sniper’s arm in his panicked state and the shock of what he had done had kept him quiet for an entire day. Sniper managed to console him, telling him it wasn’t his fault and that he was alright. All Scout asked was that he could spend the rest of their nights in the watchtower sleeping in Sniper’s bed. He had asked this with a furiously red face and rather twitchy demeanor. Sniper had hesitantly agreed and now, waking up on the third night they shared a bed, he certainly did not regret his decision.

Light was filtering in through the cracks in the window boards and Sniper lifted an arm to cover his eyes. He was lying on his back, one arm wrapped protectively around Jeremy. The Scout was pressed to his side, arms and legs wrapped tightly around him. Since they had shared a bed, his nightmares had all but ceased. The only sign of his dreams was a mumble now and then in his sleep. 

Slowly he managed to untangle himself from Scout’s limbs and sit upright on the bed. He swung his legs off the edge and let his feet rest on the cold wood floor. He ran a hand through his hair then over his eyes, rubbing out the remaining traces of sleep. He blinked a couple times before feeling the blankets shift behind him and Scout’s weight shift on the mattress. “Good morning.” He mumbled, not bothering to turn around. Scout grinned, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. “Morning.” He said sleepily, crawling off the bed and standing up to stretch his whole body.

Sniper got up as well, crossing the tiny shack to search for his backpack. They were almost out of clean clothes and just in time. He couldn’t believe how fast time had gone by. “Do you hear that?” Scout’s question stopped his search and he stood up straight, straining his ears for any peculiar sound. He couldn’t hear anything. “No?” Scout flashed him a happy grin. “Exactly. The wind’s gone.” He said, hurriedly pulling on his pants. Sniper understood where he was going with this and proceeded to track down his clothing and get dressed.

Scout had the decency to wait until he was dressed before pulling off the top board that covered the window. A trickling of snow came in along with the board but the sky outside was a bright blue. “It’s over.” Sniper sighed in relief, helping Scout remove the next few boards. They were about to remove the third last board when Sniper saw how high the snow was. “I wouldn’t do that mate.” He said, putting a hand on Scout’s shoulder. Scout crane his neck to see over the board and nodded. “If it’s this high here then the door will probably be stuck. I could climb out and shovel.” He offered and Sniper nodded. 

“Go for it mate. I think there’s a shovel in here. I’ll toss it out once you’ve gotten out okay.” He explained as Scout climbed up onto the window ledge and swung a leg over the board. It disappeared into the snow and Scout shivered. “Fuck that’s cold.” He laughed before pushing off and disappearing into a puff of white flakes. Sniper rolled his eyes, brushing the snow that had drifted inside off himself as he searched the crates for a shovel. He found on in the first crate he checked and tossed it out the window. 

The cry of protest Scout let out led to the conclusion that the shovel probably hit him and Sniper suppressed a laugh. He tried to listen for Scout’s footsteps outside the shack but the snow muffled any sort of noise. Several minutes passed until he finally heard the scratches of the shovel against the wood of the door. After roughly fifteen minutes he opened the door a crack. A drift of snow poured in, followed by Scout shoving by him back into the warmth of the shack. “Fuck shoveling.” He muttered, throwing down the plastic shovel in distaste. Sniper chuckled, trying as best he could to sweep out the snow with his foot.

He froze when he felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around his waist. His entire body tensed as cold hands pressed through his shirt and into his sides. “Relax Snipes.” Scout muttered into his shoulder. Sniper closed the door, slowly allowing his muscles to relax and ease into the embrace. He turned slowly, keeping Scout’s arms around him and wrapping his own around him. “Hey, Jeremy?” “Yeah?” Sniper swallowed, trying to work past the bundle of nerves that had seemed to form in his throat.

He let out a sigh of defeat when he found he couldn’t. “Never mind.” He said, breaking away from the hug. “Oh, okay.” There was a slight twinge of hurt in Scout’s voice that made Sniper’s stomach clench but he pushed past it. Instead he opened the door and stepped out into the blinding light. The sky was the clearest it had been since the day they had arrived at the watchtower and the blazing sun caused the snow to resemble a field of diamonds. It was breathtaking. Scout dashed past him, nearly knocking him off balance, and leaned over the barely visible fence that lined the edge of the porch.

“It’s beautiful ain’t it? I’ve always loved the snow. My brother’s and I would play for-.” The sudden thud of something against the back of his head stopped him mid-sentence. Cold burned a trail down the back of his head and his neck, seeping underneath his clothes. He turned around to find Sniper whistling, tossing another snowball in one hand, looking anywhere but the Scout with a shit-eating grin on his face. “You piece of shit.” Scout said through a grin. Sniper gave him a wide-eyed look of pure innocence. “I did nothing.” He exclaimed, tucking the snow ball behind his back.

Scout raised a brow and turned around again. A second later another snowball hit his ass, causing his back to straighten in surprise. He whipped around, already bending down to make his own. “You’re so dead.” He said with a laugh. By the time he stood back up Sniper had run off the porch, struggling to run through the deep snow. His lanky legs were proving difficult to maneuver through the thigh high snow. “Gotcha bitch!” Scout cried, jumping off the stairs and whipping several snowballs at him mid-air. It his shoulder and his neck, causing Sniper to groan in displeasure. 

“Come back here you prick!” Sniper yelled, picking up a handful of snow and chasing after the hastily retreating Scout. The next several hours consisted of Scout managing to scare the living hell out of Sniper at every turn and completely pelting him with snowballs. Sniper did manage to get several good hits in but not nearly enough to exhaust the Scout. The fifth time Scout managed to hit him in the back of the neck was the deciding point of his retreat. He took off across the snowy landscape, praying that somehow, he could escape the onslaught of snowballs. 

His prayers went unanswered when a sudden weight slammed into his back, causing him to trip and stumble in the snow. He managed to twist onto his back before he landed and wasn’t surprised to see Scout hovering above him. He was surprised however to feel more than see the fact that Scout was straddling him. Sniper grinned up at him. “Watcha gonna do mate?” He said, almost daring him to try. Scout grinned right back before grabbing a handful of snow and lifting it over Sniper’s face. Sniper’s eyes widened in horror and his mouth opened in protest. “No wait-.” He was cut off by a rush of snow covering his face. He sputtered, shaking the snow off his head and gasping for air. Scout was practically howling with laughter, tears springing up in the corners of his eyes. Sniper grinned and with a surge of strength flipped Scout off him and reversed their positions. Scout stopped laughing, instead looking up at Sniper with a mischievous grin. “Do your worst chucklenuts.” He spat.

Sniper took a handful of snow, holding it above Scout’s head teasingly. Scout groaned. “Oh, c’mon man this is just cruel. Just get it over with you dick hones-.” “Scout.” He stopped, realizing just how close Sniper’s face was to his own. He bit his lip, forcing himself to match the gaze of the deep brown eyes of the man he wouldn’t admit held his heart. “Y-yeah?” He stammered. Sniper leaned in a little closer even though his brain was screaming at him to stop.

“Stop talking.” He mumbled before closing the gap between them. Scout froze up, his mind and senses in complete overload. Sniper felt him stiffen and immediately pulled away. He took one look at the shock on Scout’s face and, without a word, hastily got up and headed back to the shack. Scout lay there in stunned silence, staring up at the sky with wide eyes. Slowly he sat up, feeling snow trickle down the back of his hoodie and felt his face brighten with a smile. “He…He kissed me. Holy fuck.” He whispered to himself, putting his face in his hands.

He felt butterflies in his stomach and the feelings he’d been unsure about finally made themselves clear. He liked Sniper. Maybe a little more than that and clearly his feelings were returned. With that thought in his mind he pushed himself up out of the snow and made a beeline for the shack, the smile never leaving his face.

Meanwhile Sniper wasn’t fairing so well. He was furiously pacing the inside of the shack, hands in his hair and biting at his lip. “You fucking idiot! You messed up so bloody bad!” He cursed at himself. He groaned, tugging at his hair in frustration and embarrassment. He couldn’t believe how fucking stupid he was. How could he do that? They were having such a wonderful time and he had to go and ruin it. “You selfish prick.” He muttered bitterly. The door opening caught his attention and he whirled around to watch Jeremy walk in. He didn’t bother to close the door and instead kept walking straight for the Sniper.

“Look mate I’m sorry.” Sniper tried to explain, holding up a hand in defense. Jeremy kept walking towards him and before Sniper could say anything further he found himself being yanked by the collar into the most passionate kiss of his life. His hands immediately went to Jeremy's waist and he pulled him closer, tilting his head to deepen the already fiery kiss. Scout was the one to break it, pulling away with the biggest smirk on his smug face. “Holy shit.” He laughed and Sniper had to smile. “I thought I fucked up.” He admitted sheepishly and Scout rolled his eyes. “Far from it.” He replied before pulling him into another kiss. 

This time it was Sniper who pulled away. "We should... close the window." He panted. Fuck he was breathless. How long had it been since he'd kissed someone? Ten years at the most? He didn't remember and frankly didn't care. All that was important right now was the breathless, blushing man in front of him. "Yeah we may want to." Scout agreed, pulling away to grab the boards. Together they locked up the window and Sniper went to lock the door. He was caught off guard when he was forced to turn around and was pressed into the door. Scout grinned up at him, a low light in his eyes that Sniper knew meant no good. "Seems you're caught Snipes." Scout said. Sniper looked at the arms pinning him from either side and nodded. "Seems I am. What are you going to do about that?" Scout laughed. "You'll just have to find out." He said. His voice had dropped half an octave and the tone sent a shiver up Sniper's spine. 

He let his hands trail up Scout's sides then back down to rest at his hips. "I guess I will." He replied before leaning in to kiss him. 

Things had most definitely changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had major writer's block with this chapter. Also don't worry, the next chapter will be a little more intimate (if you catch my drift). As always, I hope you enjoyed and please don't be afraid to comment!!!


	10. Author's Note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know this isn't the next chapter but I need to ask a question. As of right now, there are two paths this story can go. I would like your opinion, as the reader, in what you want to see. Would you like the ending or a smut chapter before the ending? It's all up to you guys. Please comment your response and whichever has more votes I will do. Both are prepared in case. Thank you all for reading and the next chapter will be out in several days.
> 
> Love,  
> SkyHigh

..........


	11. Day 29: Desire

The day had started off slow; Scout woke up, got dressed, and went outside to clear more snow and keep watch. The sun was now starting to melt some of the snow and it made his job a bit easier. However, despite the peaceful morning and the calm cold of the air something was preying on the back of Scout’s mind. He tried to shove it back, biting his lip and forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. He was failing miserably. 

Back inside the shack Sniper was having the exact same problem, though it’d be the death of him to admit it. Instead he focused himself on cleaning up the place. Usually he didn’t focus on mess but it was the only thing he could think of that would keep his mind off the problem at hand. 

The issue was that both men were incredibly horny. 

Being stuck in close quarters with another person didn’t leave much space for personal time. Before the pair had been fairly preoccupied with their suppressed feelings to really notice it but now that the distraction was gone, the usually welcomed feeling had become a nuisance. 

It was late afternoon before Scout finally came back inside. He tossed the shovel down on the floor, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. “Fuck snow.” He muttered bitterly, kicking the shovel. He tore off his gloves and shook out his hair, feeling the cold sweat begin to freeze on his neck. Sniper, who had been stacking crates, turned to give him a smirk. “See? It ain’t irrational to hate it.” Scout scowled at him, removing his jacket and scarf. “Yeah but you hate it for all the wrong reason. I hate it cause it’s heavy and your Aussie ass would freeze if you went out there so I got to move it.” Sniper raised a brow before abandoning his task to pull the scout into a hug. 

“Thanks for doing that then.” He mumbled into Scout’s neck. Scout shivered, the movement of lips on skin not helping the increasing urge in the back of his head. Slowly he pulled away from Sniper and wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck. Sniper looked at him dead in the eyes and was surprised to see a familiar gleam that he had all too often seen in the eyes of bar patrons looking for a one-night stand. He couldn’t help but smirk and Scout couldn’t help but return it. 

They stayed like that, staring at each other until Scout lunged forward, eagerly pressing his mouth to Sniper’s. The other man was taken aback at first but quickly returned the kiss. Sniper wrapped his arms around Scout’s waist, pulling him as close as physically possible. “Is the window closed?” Scout mumbled into the kiss. Sniper spared a glance at the window, found it sealed up tight, then nodded. Scout smiled before kissing him deeper.

Slowly Sniper’s hands found their way down Scout’s sides and to his ass. The moment he applied pressure Scout let out a small groan. With a grin Sniper squeezed harder, only for Scout to groan a bit louder. “Quit the bull.” He muttered, pressing himself back into Sniper’s hands. With a low chuckle Sniper pushed him against the wall, breaking away for a second to allow Scout to catch his breath. Instead the man gave him a large, devilish grin. “Do your worst bushman.” He mocked. 

Sniper grabbed his wrists and tightly pinned them above his head before moving to his neck. “W-Well shit.” Scout laughed, closing his eyes and letting his head fall to one side to give Sniper more room. Sniper trailed kisses up Scout’s neck, behind his ear, and down to his collar bone, leaving a bite whenever Scout let out a noise. Behind his ear seemed the most responsive so Sniper let his tongue drag up and down that area. Scout let out a loud moan, biting his lip. “C’mon man this- holy fuck!” He gasped, his knees nearly giving out when Sniper gently pressed a palm over his crotch. 

Scout rocked his hips into Sniper’s hand, desperate for the friction but was slightly annoyed when Sniper took his hand away. In response, he roughly wrenched up Sniper’s head and kissed him. Sniper gripped Scout’s legs and lifted him, pressing him against the wall as they kissed. Scout wrapped his legs around Sniper’s waist, the relief of friction against his erection brief and leaving him wanting more. “Hey, lemme down for a second.” Sniper gave him a look but did as he asked. 

Scout let his hands trail down the zipper of Sniper’s sweater, much gentler then the moments prior. “Can I?” He asked. Sniper nodded and Scout quickly helped him out of his sweater and shirt. He stared for a minute, tracing the numerous scars with one finger before starting to remove his own clothing. Sniper helped him out of the numerous shirts before noting how well-built Scout was. All the running really did pay off.

“Fuck it’s cold.” Scout laughed, shivering slightly. Sniper grinned, pulling him close by his waist. “Let’s fix that shall we?” Scout laughed again, throwing his arms around Sniper’s neck and delighted that he was lifted yet again. “Depends on if I can top or not. I mean, I am the best.” He said cheekily, pressing a kiss to Sniper’s neck. Sniper rolled his eyes. “We’ll see Bilby. We’ll see.”  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours passed until they had finally collapsed on the tiny bed, side by side and gasping for air. “Motherfucker.” Scout breathed, blinking the stars from his vision. Pleasure was still coursing through his body, relaxing his muscles in waves of electricity and numbing his thoughts. “More like Scoutfucker.” Sniper laughed hoarsely. Scout glared at him and gave him a playful punch to the arm. “Shut the fuck up Snip-. ““Mun-Dee. My name’s Mun-Dee.” Scout looked up to see Sniper smiling at him. Scout couldn’t help but smile back. “Mun-Dee. I like it. It suits you.” He said simply.

Sniper’s smile widened as he wrapped an arm around Scout, pulling him closer. Scout rested his head on Sniper’s chest, throwing one arm over his scarred torso and tangling their legs together. Minutes ticked by in complete silence, both tired and content from their previous activities. It was Scout who broke the silence. “So, what now?” He asked quietly.  
Sniper raised a brow, craning his neck but only able to see the top of Scout’s head. “What do you mean?” “Are we together?” Scout asked, again quiet. His voice betrayed him as Sniper could hear just how worried the scout really was. “I’d like to be. I’d like it very much.” He admitted. He could feel Scout’s smile on his chest and his heart skipped a beat. “I’d like that too.” Scout whispered, holding one hand over his heart. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d been so happy. 

Sniper sighed, turning his gaze back to the ceiling. It was an ugly thing, rotting boards and old bent nails, but he regarded it fondly. If it wasn’t for this shack, for this storm, for this horrible cold snow, none of this would have happened. “You know, I think I’m starting to like winter.” He said softly, not taking his eyes off the ceiling. “Really?” Scout asked through a yawn. Sniper nodded. “Yeah, really.” Silence followed yet again, only broken by shuffling as Scout moved even closer. “I was wondering if I’d have to make the first move.” He said with a tired laugh. Sniper chuckled, shaking his head and closing his eyes. “Nah.” 

Scout closed his eyes, letting sleep slowly creep over his exhausted body. For the first time in a long time he wasn’t afraid to sleep. “Goodnight Mun-Dee.” He mumbled. “G’night Jeremy.” Was the last thing he heard before sleep overtook him. The pair slept well that night, finally content and satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! I'm terrible at smut and it took a while for me to come up with a version that I was okay with. I apologize if it isn't too good, I'm not good with smut. I do hope you enjoy and don't be afraid to comment! Thank you!


	12. What Now?

It was their last day and the snow had started up again.

The wind was practically screaming outside the shack and the cold had managed to seep in through every crack and crevice. Sniper had tried getting into contact with the base for most of the day but to no avail. It would appear they were stuck here after all. 

Scout was huddled by the makeshift fire, his palms towards the flames in a desperate attempt to warm them. It did appear to be working from the content smile on his face, though when Sniper sat down next to him that smile faded. "No luck?" He asked and Sniper shook his head. "No luck. Looks like we're stuck here mate." 

The words caused both men, despite their mild worry and fear, to smile. "I guess that means we'll have some time to ourselves." Scout said slowly, his smile returning with a glint of mischief. Sniper's eyebrows raised and his smile grew to match Scout's. "I guess we will Jeremy." He replied, creeping closer to pull Scout into his lap. 

Scout squirmed around to face him, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a daring smirk. "So, what should we do for entertainment?" He asked, though both of them clearly knew that answer. Sniper grinned, pulling Scout by the collar of his hoodie so their lips were a mere inch apart. "I have a few ideas. If you're up for them of course." He teased, pulling Scout into a deep kiss. 

Scout smiled into it before pulling back, the same smirk still firmly planted on his face. "Try me bushman."

 

-The End-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is officially done! Thank you all so much for reading and please stick around if you liked my work, as there will be many fan-fictions to come in the next little while. Thank you all for the love and support and I will see you all soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first TF2 fan fiction so I hope you all enjoyed. Pointers are always welcome and I'll have the next chapter up really soon! Thanks for reading!


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